Taitung is an off-the-beaten track destination tucked on the other side of the mountains and not accessible by the high-speed rail network. However, this is a good place to visit for nature lovers, who will find unspoiled countryside and sea views all along Taiwan's east coast.
Getting here is fairly easy though. Trains take only 2 hours from Kaohsiung, but seats are fairly limited so book online in advance. The main station is quite a distance out of town and you will likely need to rent a car from here to fully enjoy the east coast's scenery.
The old Taitung railway station is too small to handle today's passenger volumes. Rather than being razed and redeveloped, the site has been transformed into the Taitung Railway Art Village with a vintage train on display.
Next door is Liyushan Park, which is a short climb up the 75m hill with an 8-storey pagoda for the city panoramic views. The old folks seemed more interesting in karaoke below.
The city's streets looked quite empty and there aren't many highrises around. The coastal region is a large open space with barely anyone to interfere with your view of the Pacific Ocean.
The Paposogan is a piece of public art with a rattan roof and elevated deck.
Just next door, the Taitung Forest Park occupies 280 hectares of land with many walking trails and lakes.
